Sparks
by oh-the-linsanity
Summary: The four times they died for love-and the time they got a second chance.


_the four times they died for love—and the one time they got a second chance_

.

.

.

s p a r k s

.

.

.

It is just like he imagines.

It hurts like _hell_. It was as if his bones try to jump out of skin, trying to stretch the scar-covered tissue until they break into ugly, rough patterns. He can hear his own voice—louder than any bomb, any electrical current, louder than his brother's own cry as he watches the whole damn thing. He feels his lungs pop and his ribs crack and everything is so heavy that it just breaks him, leaving him mangled and contorted like the broken pieces of rock beneath him.

It hurts like hell, and he doesn't expect anything else.

"BOLIN!" He can't t see, can't breathe so he concentrates on the sounds of the earth around him, vibrating, shaking. His brother's footsteps thud against the earth quickly, and he realizes this is the sound of fear.

"M-Mako…" he chokes. His mouth bubbles with warm blood and it tastes like copper.

He feels his brother grabbing him—it feels like hopelessness. He can hear Mako's words catching in his throat, exploding from his mouth like little bursts of wind. He blindly reaches up and catches onto something soft, something tattered. It feels like the color red.

"Bo," he hears his brother say. It's raspy and shaky and it sounds like hurt.

He fingers the scarf in his hands, twirling the tattered edges around his chubby finger. "It's o-over, bro. I'm d-done." He whispers.

Bolin feels hot tears drip on his cheek.

"But you're not," Bolin says, a faint smile on his lip. "And that makes it okay."

The last thing Bolin hears is the sound of heartbreak as his brother cries.

It definitely hurt.

.

.

.

Air has never been so heavy.

He watches as her bending is blocked and she's thrown carelessly aside, her body twisting unnaturally as it lands dangerously close to the edge of the airship. His own bending is gone—temporarily, permanently—and it doesn't matter because if he doesn't do something she'll slip and—

He grabs her hand with seconds to spare.

He grunts as he collides painfully with the roof of the ship. He's got one hand gripping the railing to save his life, the other one holding her life _entirely_.

"Tenzin!" There's fear and fire sparkling in her eyes. "Let me go!"

He closes his eyes, focusing on the feel of her fingers—sweaty and strong. He grips her tighter. "No!"

She looks down—the ground looks soft, and that scares her. She looks back to his face and watches as his arm buckles with the weight and his face contorts with discomfort. "Just let go!" she cries and she pretends there aren't tears spilling down her cheeks.

He gives out a yell, a combination of pain and frustration. "I can't!"

"_Tenzin!_" She spots equalists coming toward them. She doesn't want to make him choose. She starts to wiggle her fingers loose from his grasp. But he feels it and only grips her tighter.

"Don't you dare!" He growls.

"Tenzin," she begs this time. "It's okay. Just let go!"

"No! I can't let you go! _Not again!"_

And suddenly she's weightless. She can feel the air clogging her lungs at alarming speeds, but she's not alone. Lin feels Tenzin's hand in hers. And he flips him in the air, twisting them around so she's flush against him, his eyes looking into hers. They're a tangles mess of limbs and fabric as they plummet to the earth.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

The earth has never been so soft.

.

.

.

It's quick.

Everything is happening in bursts of energy. Asami spots electrical currents that cackle and spurt, making people drop like flies. The sun is gone and the world around her comes in and out of focus, illuminating the faces of friends and enemies alike in shades of blue and orange. She grabs the arm of an attacking equalist and twists their arm before throwing them behind her.

"We can't win, we have to go!" She screams, and she prays they can hear her. As another bolt of electricity shoots across the room, she thinks she can see the blue of Korra's shirt and the red of Mako's scarf, but the light is quick to fade. She fends off another attacker and just when she thinks she's in the clear, someone grabs her roughly by her shoulder.

She's turned forcefully around. She blinks slowly and meets the weary face of her father.

"Sweetie," he pants, his face contorted with an expression she can't discern. "Sweetie, I'm sorry."

Asami jerks her shoulder away and takes two steps back. The other masked equalists come toward her, still claiming her to be an enemy, still determined to have her killed.

She hears Mako cry in pain and Bolin grunt and she makes a silent prayer that time will slow to give her the chance she needs.

"Me too, Dad."

But time doesn't slow for her.

She doesn't fight as the electricity surges through her body, as metal claws stab crookedly through her chest and come out covered in blood on the other side. She watches her father gasp in horror before she limps forward and collapses to the ground.

And as she closes her eyes, she hopes maybe _now_ he'll do the right thing.

.

.

.

It's better than he hopes.

She grips his shirt tightly, her face buried in his scarf. "W-why," she sobs, her voice muffled. "Why would you do that?" Her body shakes as she keeps readjusting her grip.

Mako manages a soft smile as a sliver of blood trickles from his mouth down his chin. "You know why," he whispers.

She shakes her head, her face still buried in his bloodstained clothing. Mako lays his broken hand atop hers.

"Hey—look at me."

She lets out one last sob before lifting her head slowly, her hands still on his scarf. Her eyes are wild with fear and sadness as she stares into his pair of golden eyes. She thinks they look brighter than before, and it doesn't make sense. His fingers squeeze her hand and he ignores the pain.

"I love you," He whispers.

She cries.

"If you loved m-me—" she chokes on her own words. "You wouldn't have taken that hit!"

"No," he argues. "I took it _because_ I love you." He coughs, and blood spurts out and dots Korra's face. "The world needs you, Korra."

Her bottom lips quivers as she takes her hand and lays it on his cheek. "But I need _you."_

The world around them slows. She leans forward and kisses him gently; he tastes of copper and salt and as she pulls away she pretends she doesn't breathe into his mouth in hopes that her breath can save him.

His eyes close and his heart stops.

But he's still smiling.

.

.

.

He gets another chance.

"Who are you?"

Mako stares down at the little girl before him. Her hair is brown with streaks of sunshine in it, with muddy eyes to match. Her nose appears clumsily spackled with freckles and her teeth are just a little crooked. He removes his hands from his pockets and leans down to her height. He opens his mouth to say something, but closes it, a small smirk growing on his face. Instead, he holds out the palm of his hand and let's a small swirl of red and blue fire dance in front of her.

He watches with amusement as her eyes widen with awe. The blue and oranges of the fire make rainbows in her eyes.

"_I'll be okay, Mako. I'm the Avatar, remember?"_

"_Of course! That's why you can't die!"_

The young avatar reaches for the fire, but Mako extinguishes it. "You're a firebender!" She exclaims. "Does that mean you're here to train me?"

"_I'm not dying-not really. I'll be back. Find me in the next life, will you? Teach me that, "Cool Under Fire" style…"_

Mako nods. He stands back up, extending a hand to her. The little girl grabs it and weaves her fingers with his in the most familiar way.

"I can't wait to get started!"

He smiles. "Me too."

.

.

.

_fin._

* * *

AN: This fandom. I have too many feels.

So this happened while I was trying write Crooked.

I regret nothing for all the character deaths. NOTHING.

Also, I WROTE A LITTLE LINZIN DO I GET AN AWARD. my dream is to have the largest selection of Linzin fics ever. in the history of the fandom. join me :D

Also sorry for the lame title.

Crooked is coming along folks! For now, enjoy the feels :3

-Lynn


End file.
